Dark Universe

I have always appreciated the allure of composite images from cosmos and pondered on what they represent with reverence and trepidation. Immanuel Kant's notion of the mathematical sublime, which refers to immeasurable, "formless" entities that threaten to overcome human sensations with great multitudes or vast dimensions, can be employed to understand concepts like the staggering number of stars visible in the night sky, or the infinite space of the universe. The mind comes to terms with such notions by using mathematical representations in measuring units like big numbers or light years. This understanding gives way to a feeling of pleasure directly related to the ability of the human intellect to reason and grasp concepts that cannot be formed only by utilising senses and imagination.

Recent advancements in space exploration technology, such as the James Webb Space Telescope, constantly expand the limits of our imagination. NASA studies have shown that the vast space between galaxies is not completely devoid of light, dispelling the previously held belief that it was totally dark. Despite the numerous cosmic objects in the observable universe, they represent only 5% of the conventional matter, with the rest being dark matter (27%) and dark energy (68%). Science provides numerical representations of the universe, allowing us to encounter the cosmic sublime not only as an overwhelming terror at its enormity, but also as a source of comfort in our efforts to comprehend it.

My passion for space exploration and its mysteries has been a source of inspiration for the work presented in this exhibition. Contemporary and historical ideas about the universe, images from outer space, scientific information, and simply gazing at the starry sky on a cloudless night, stir my emotions, challenge my thinking and inform every mark I make in my artworks. My drawings point to profound feelings when contemplating the cosmos, while my paintings and videos evoke the boundless immensity of the universe, the light and darkness of deep space, and the staggering number of cosmic objects scattered in the infinite macrocosm. Through a multi-layered approach, I aim to engage the senses and imagination, and to evoke a state of mind associated with the experience of the cosmic sublime.